Blast torch



Sept. 11, 1934. L. E. CHARLES Er A1.

BLAST TORCH Filed Dec. 8, 1931 Patented Sept. 1l, 1934 `UNITED STATESBLAST Tom Lonnie E. Charles andlamesylnuzakhnd,

Appucamm December s, '1931. serial No. stam s clam. (or 15a-zul Theinvention relates to a blast torch utilizing gaseous fuels, andparticularly concerns the nozzle portion of such a torch.

An object of the invention is to provide a blast 5 torch which isparticularly adapted for `burning various mixtures of manufactured ornatural fuel gases with either oxygen or air.

Another object is to provide a torch structure wherein means areprovided to variably adjust the flame ysize and/or character during theuse of the torch.

A further object is to provide a pilot, or pre-rr heating, portion forthe torch name whereby to insure the maintenance of combustion when agaseous fuel of high ignition temperature is to be burned with air.

Yet another object is to provide for utilizing the same gaseous mixtureat all parts of th torch flame.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of typical embodiments of the invention which areillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blast torch embodying the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an axial section through the nozzle portion of the torch,the nozzle parts being related as for burning a mixtureof natural gasand air.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal and partly sectional view of the nozzleportion of the torch,the nozzle parts being related as for burning amixture of an inflammable gas and pure oxygen.

Figures 4' and 5 4are transverse sections at` 4 4 and 5-5 respectively*`in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the broken line 6-6 in Figure 2.

. Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged fragmentary showings of portions of thestructure of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a modification of. the torch arranged formanual'support during use thereof, the torch nozzle structure beingbroken` away,

In Figure 1, a gas torch 11 is shown, said torch comprising a body 12and a discharge nozzle structure 13. The body 12 is 'provided withintake or supply connections 14, 15 and 16, and the passage of gas intothe'various said connections to the body is arranged to be controlled bymeans of valves 17, 18 and 19 respectively.. By way of illustration, itwill 'be assumed that the intakes 14, 15 and 16 respectively receivegas, air

,h5 and oxygen, all under suitable pressure. In the present instance,the body 12 is shown as supported on a stand 20 whereby it isparticularly adapted for bench use.

A suitable mixing chamber is provided within the body 12 wherein thevarious gases admitted -the member 22 and at the juncture of the bore tothe body are arranged to be mixed and from which the mixture isdischarged through a tubular body extension 21. The exact structure andarrangement within the body 1 2 is immaterial to the present invention,and is thereforenot disclosed. For present purposes it is essential onlythat a combustible mixture of desired composition be delivered to thenozzle 13 from a suitable source, the body extension 2l comprising sucha source in the present instance.

The nomic 13, it will now benoted, essentially comprises a centraltubular member 22, a tubular member 23 slidably mounted on the centraltube 22, and a tubular member 24 carried at the for. ward end of themember 23 and generally enclosing said end. The rearward end of thecentral nozzle tube 22 threadedly engages the body extension 21 wherebyit is carried by the body. Exteriorly, the nozzle tube 22 is reducedinwardly at successive intermediate points thereof whereby it is smallerat its forward end. and cylindrical faces 25, 26 and 27 are dened alongits length. At the forward end thereof, the tube 22 is provided with atip 28; as particularly shown, the tip 28 is removably and replaceablymounted at the tube end, and provides a constricted discharge. passage29 axially therethrough and communicating with the tube pas sage 31.

The nozzle tube memberA 23, it will now se 90 noted, is interiorlyVstepped in a generally complementary manner to the stepped exterior'structure of the tube 22 whereby bore portions 32 and 33 thereof mayclosely andl slidably engage the exterior faces 25 4and 26 of the tube22 Vwhen the tubes are related as shown in Figures 3 and 8. Forwardly ofthe bore portion 33, the bore portion 34 of the -member 23 is largerthan the opposed face 27 of the nozzle tube 22 except at its extremeforward end where the bore 34 is reduced to slidably receive the tip endportion of the nozzle tube 22. Preferably, the shoulders 35 and 36provided respecf tively at the iuncture of the faces 25 and 26 of 10|portions 32 and 33 of the tube 23, are arranged for mutual .engagementto provide a positive seal thereat, this engagement of the saidshoulders being shown in Figure 3. When the shoulders 35 and 36 are soengaged, the forward end of the tube 23 is arranged to engage the tipportion of the tube 22 whereby the chamber 37 deined within the boreportion 34 and about the face 27 is sealed at its forward end'.

Radial ports 38 extend through the tube 22 from the passage 31 thereofand discharge at the tube face 26. When' the tube 23 is moved forwardlyon the tube 22 an annular chamber 39 (Figures 2 and 3) is vdonned aboutthe tube 22 md. opposite the uncovered portion of its face 26, and asthe ports 38 are uncovered said chamber is arranged to receive thegaseous mixture through said ports and from the passage 31. A furtheroutward movement of the tube 23 is arranged to dispose the shoulder 36thereof forwardly of the shoulder 42 defined at the juncture of thefaces 26 and 27 of the tube 22 whereby yto effect a valved discharge offluid from the chamber 39 and into the chamber 37.

Desirably, andfas shown, the nozzle tip 28 is conically taperedexternally thereof, and the constricted bore portion at the forwardextremity of the tube 23 is arranged for adjusted disposal opposite thetapered portion of the tip whereby an annular stream of fluid may bedischarged from the chamber 37. The arrangement of ports is preferablysuch that discharge of uid from the chamber 39 into the chamber 37 isarranged to be effected only after a discharge opening is provided fromthe chamber 37 adjacent the tip 28; in this manner, an adjustablymetered and annular stream of fuel may be discharged from the chamber 37and about the cylindric stream which issues from the tip 28, saidstreams uniting tc provide the blast stream.

It will now be particularly noted that when the tube 23 is in its fullyretracted position (Figure 3)' the blast stream comprises solely thegases emitted from the tip 28. This is the specific operating conditionwhen the torch is to be used with a mixture of a fuel gas and pureoxygen, it being noted that in this case a minimum quantity of thecombustion-supporting gas is needed. When a gas-oxygen mixture is to beused, the air intake valve 18 wouldbe closed and the gas and oxygensupply valves 19 and 17 would be opened for delivering the requiredmixture to the nozzle passage 31.

When a gas-air mixture is to be used in the torch the valve 19 would beclosed and the valves 17 and 18 wouldbe openedA to supply a fuel mixtureof desired composition and discharge pressure. Since the required fuelstream of the torch must be increased for a gas-air mixture the tube 23would be moved forwardly on the tube 22 until the before-mentionedannular fuel stream is emitted around the nozzle tip 28; 'in thepresentinstance, the size of the flame produced is arranged to be controlledentirely through shifting of the tube 23 for effecting a regulation ofthe described valve means jointly provided by and between the nozzletubes 22 and 23.

In burning certain types of fuel gases, notably the natural hydrocarbongases which flow from many wells in the extreme Awestern part of theUnited States, the fire of a stream containing such gases and air has atendency to go out,

said tendency of such a stream being due to the.

high ignition temperature of the inflammable mixture. When such 'astreamis burning, the fire m'ay go out at the base .of the emitted jet and theflame base then tends to travel toward the stream apex until the firegoes out corn-4 Apletely for lack of proper pre-heating of the gas.

' issuing from the passage 37, however, the aforesaid diiference invelocity is so reduced that the flre may go out, and means areaccordingly provided for positively insuring the maintenance ofcombustionat the base of the flame and soA preventing the fire fromgoing out, said means associated with the tubular member 24.

Radial ports 43 are provided through the tube 23 rearwardly of andadjacent the shoulder 41 of this tube, there being at least two axially'spaced sets of these ports. The tube 24, it is noted, extends from apoint of the tube 23 rearwardly of the ports 43 and is fixed to thelatter tube at said point and for movement therewith; as shown at 44,the tube 24 threadedly engages the tube 23 at its mounting point.Forwardly of the threads 44, the bore -of the tube 24 is spaced from thetube 23 for defining an annular space therearound, and the former tubeextends just short of the forward extremity of the latter tube. Anannulus 45 partitions the space defined between the tubes 23 and 24whereby said space is divided to provide a hood space 46 forwardlythereof,and a chamber 47 rearwardly thereof; as shown, the annulus 45 isprovided as an integral part of the tube 24 and its bore closely ts thetube 23. i

The partition 45 is provided with sets of openings extending axiallytherethrough, the jets discharged from said openings are arranged to belit as pilot flames for the central fluid streams of the nozzle, thehood space 46`being relatively short whereby the flames of said jets mayheat said streams and more or less unite with the fire thereof; in thismanner, the major torch stream is kept lighted at its base and so maynot go out.

A preferred arrangement of partition openings is particularly disclosed,wherein three concentric circles of said openings are provided. Theopenings 49 of the outer circle thereof are of uniform bore, while theopenings 48 of the 120 two inner circles thereof have stepped bores,with larger portions at their outer ends and of substantially the samesize as the openings 49. The openings 48, it is noted, receive less gasthan the -openings 49 and provide a partial expanslon within their outerportions whereby the pressure at their jets is less than thatfor thejets of the openings 49. In thisV manner, the pilot flames of the outercircles are caused to be drawn generally inwardly toward the nozzle axisand are at the same time effective generally beyond the inner jetswhereby a considerable length of the central torch stream may bedirectly affected by the pilot flames directed from the hood space 46.It will, of course, be understood that the chamber 47 comprises a supplymanifold for the pilot fuel streams provided as described.

It will now be noted that the aforesaid pilot streams are arranged to beprovided Whenever the fuel mixture is delivered through the chamber 27;accordingly, the forward ports 43 are arranged to be uncovered by theirmovement forwardly of the shoulder 35 of the tube 22, and preferablyjust before discharge begins from 14. said chamber. As the tube y23 ismoved forwardly on the tube 22 to increase the fuel supply to and fromthe chamber 27, the discharge pressure'into the chamber 47 will decreaseand correspondingly eifect the described pilot flames;

` tocounteract this effect, the opening of additional ports 43 isarranged to occur as the tube 23 is advanced. In the present instance,the rearward set of ports 43 is opened at the appro priate time, itbeing noted that additional sets of ports 43 might be provided ifnecessary, and

" of Figure 1, the tube 23 slidably -engages the tube 22, and that a pin51 of the latter engaged in a generally diagonal slot 52 of the formerprovides for theadjustment between closed and open conditions of the,ports 38. for varying the discharge relations of the nzzle.

of the tube 23, an operative condition providing a pilot name and arelatively small blast fiame j is arranged to obtain, this being therelation shown in Figures l and 2.

The embodiment of Figure 9 is operatively similar to that previouslydescribed, but is more specificallyadapted for use in an operators hand.In this embodiment, a body 61 is provided with air, gas and oxygenintake connections 62, 63 and 64 respectively, and the mixedA gas isdelivered through a goose-neck 65 to a nozzle' 66 providing thepreviously described ame control features. In the present instance,however, a tube 23' of the nozzle threadedly engages an inner tube 22'for effecting the required adjustments, said tubes corresponding re.spectively to tubes 23 and 22 of the first described embodiment.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation willbe readily understood byv those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains, and while we have described the principle ofoperation, together with the device which -we now consider to be thebest embodiment thereof, We desire to have it understood that the deviceshown is merely' illustrative, and that such changes may be made, whendesired,l as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusidescribed our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a torch of the class described, a central nozzle tube providing apassage for' a supply of combustible fuel mixture terminating in arestricted discharge orifice, means to by-pass some of the fuel mixturefrom said passage and means to discharge same in the form of an annularjet surrounding the tip of said nozzle, tube, means to by-pass some ofthe fuel mixture from said by-pass means and means to discharge same ,inthe form of an annular series of jets. surrounding said annular jet, andvalve means to adjustably vary the passage of the fuel mixture througheac'h of ,said by-pa'ss means.

2. In a torch of the class described, a central nozzle tube providing' apassage for a supply of combustible fuel mixture terminating in arestricted discharge opening to provide a central torch name, means toby-pass some of the fuel. mixture-from said tube and means to dischargeWhen the' pin 51 engagesin a notch 53 at the rear end j.

same in .the form of an intermediate annular flame surroundingthe tip ofsaid nozzle tube,

means to by-pass some of the fuel mixture from said by-pass means andmeans to discharge same in the'form of an outer annular-flame encirclingthe base of said intermediate flame, and valve means controlling each ofsaid by-pass means to simultaneously and similarly.l vary the dischargeof fuel mixture to said intermediate and outer fiames.

3. A structure in accordance with claim- 2 wherein the valve mea'ns isoperative uponv a change in the setting thereof to change the' supply offuel to the outer flame to a greater degree than to the intermediateflame.

4. In a blast ,torch nozzle, a central nozzle tubeproviding a, passagefor a supplyh'of combustible fuel mixture terminating in al restricteddischarge orifice, a tubular member enclosing the' p l forward portionof the rst tube to dene an annular and rearwardly closed manifoldchamber ',thereat and thereabout, duct means connectingl the rearwardend of said chamber with said supply passage whereby to supplyfuelthereto solely from said passage, and an annular partition defining theforward end of said chamber and axiallyperforated to provide concentriccircular lines of jet. openings whereof the jetV openings of the outercircle thereof 'are of vuniform bore and the jet openings of the innercircle thereof have stepped bores with their outer bore portions.substantially the same lsize as the bores of 'the said outer circle andtheir inner bore portions appreciably smaller than said bores wherebythe discharge pressure at the inner line of jet openings is arranged tobe less than that at the outer said line of jet openings.

5. In a blast torch nozzle, means providing a 'passage terminating in adischarge orifice, means defining a manifold chamber about said passageand adjacent and rearwardly of said orifice, an annular partition-defming the forward end off said manifold chamber and axially per-4forated to provide concentric circular lines of jet openings whereof thejet openings of the outer circle' thereof are of uniform bore and lthejet openings of the inner circle thereof have stepped bores with theirouter bore portions of l substantially the same size as the bores of thesaid outer circle and their inner bore portions appreciably smaller thansaid bores,- and fuel connections for said/passage and chamber.

6. In a blast'torch nozzle, means providinga passage for a supply ofcombustible fuel mixture and terminating in a restricted dischargeorifice,

`means defining a manifold chamber about said passage and adjacent andrearwardly of said orifice, an annular partition defining the forwardend of said manifold and axially perforated to provide concentriccircular lines of jet openings whereof the jet openings of the outercircle thereof are of uniform bore and the' jet openings of the innercircle thereof have expanding bores with the outer bore-ends ofsubstantially the same size as the bores of the said outer circle andthe inner bore ends appreciably' .smaller than said bores, and fuelconnections between said passage and chamber whereby to supply the fuelmixture from the passage to the jet openings. .4 LONNJE'E. CHARLES.v

JAMES E. AYMAR.

